Two bakery workers have been sentenced to two weeks of community service after they were accused of stealing bread in Lagos State.

The offenders were said to have stolen five loaves of bread from their employer.

The Lagos State Government in a statement issued on Monday, September 8, 2025, said the Ministry of Justice, through its Restorative Justice Centre in collaboration with the Non-Custodial/Community Service Centre, secured the non-custodial sentence in place of prosecution.

“In line with its reform agenda and commitment to decongesting correctional facilities across the State, the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, through its Restorative Justice Centre (RJC), in collaboration with the Non-Custodial/Community Service Centre, has secured a community service sentence for two bakery workers alleged to have stolen from their employer,” the statement read.

“The workers were accused of stealing five loaves of bread, with their employer insisting they must be prosecuted in court.

“However, under the Ministry’s innovative sifting process at the Magistrate Courts, a District Prosecutor reviewed the matter and referred both parties to the Restorative Justice Centre instead of filing charges.

“Following a successful mediation at the centre, the parties reached an agreement whereby the offenders would serve two weeks of community service, which commenced immediately.

“This resolution highlights the Ministry’s proactive approach to fostering dialogue, reconciliation, and accountability, while demonstrating the effectiveness of restorative justice in resolving minor offence.”

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The Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Capital Territory Command, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, has called on newly trained personnel to take the fight against vandalism and infrastructure sabotage more seriously, urging them to apply the tactical skills acquired during their just-concluded training.

Speaking on Monday at the passing out ceremony of 174 personnel who participated in a joint tactical capacity-building programme with the Nigerian Army Headquarters Garrison, Odumosu challenged the officers to bring visible change to security operations in the Federal Capital Territory.

“I charge you to go forth as worthy ambassadors of this Command, embodying discipline, excellence, and tactical operational efficiency in winning the trust of Nigerians and bringing to an end, the menace of vandalism of public infrastructure such as the streetlights, manhole covers, crash barriers, armoured cables, power and communication installations and a host of other assets in the FCT,” he said.

The training, which was themed “Enhancing Tactical Efficiency Through Modern Security Tools,” was aimed at equipping NSCDC personnel with skills to handle contemporary security threats.

Odumosu stressed that the threats facing the country — from banditry and kidnapping to cyber intrusions and drone-enabled crimes — demand more than just traditional methods of policing.

“The theme of this training is both apt and timely. It speaks directly to the urgent realities of modern-day security challenges confronting our dear nation and the urgent need to combat them, head-on,” he said.

He added that modern challenges require not only commitment and courage but also the use of advanced tools and up-to-date tactical knowledge.

“The skills acquired through this training will translate into stronger surveillance capacity, quicker response times, and improved protection of assets vital to our economic and social well-being,” he noted.

Odumosu praised the discipline and dedication of the participants, noting that their completion of the course is a sign of their readiness for higher responsibilities.

“By successfully completing this programme, you have demonstrated your readiness to adapt to new challenges and embrace innovation in service delivery,” he said.

He also told the officers that their training should not stop with them, urging them to share the knowledge with colleagues across the command.

“You are now custodians of specialised knowledge, and it is expected that you apply it with professionalism, discipline, and a strong sense of duty. You must also serve as multipliers of knowledge, cascading the training to your colleagues so that we can strengthen the operational capability of the corps as a whole.”

The commandant expressed confidence that the training would yield practical results, including an increase in arrests of vandals and a reduction in infrastructure-related crimes across the territory.

“I assure you that this unique training would be a catalyst for drastic reductions in reported cases of vandalism, theft of public infrastructure, and a surge in the arrests of vandals and other criminal elements within the FCT and its environs,” he said.

While commending the Nigerian Army for its role in the training, Odumosu described the collaboration as a model of inter-agency cooperation.

He also thanked the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Audi, for supporting the FCT command’s capacity development initiatives.

Just last month, the NSCDC FCT Command apprehended a truck suspected of transporting vandalised streetlight poles out of the city.

The vehicle, loaded with the items, was intercepted by the Command’s Critical National Assets and Infrastructure crack team during a routine 24-hour patrol around the Jabi area.

The truck, reportedly headed to Kano, was flagged down by officers, but the driver and his assistant fled the scene, abandoning the vehicle. The suspicious contents were later confirmed to be vandalised infrastructure, prompting the command to impound and tow the truck for further investigation.

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Suspected bandits have ambushed operatives of the C-Watch security outfit in Dandume Local Government Area of Katsina State, k!lling eight persons and setting two patrol vehicles ablaze.

The incident happened late Friday night, September 5, 2025 when gunmen invaded Magaji Wando village in Dandume around midnight.

Residents said C-Watch operatives responded to a distress call and rescued eight villagers who had earlier sustained gunshot injuries during the attack.

However, on their way back, the operatives reportedly ran into an ambush by the bandits, who opened fire on them, k!lling the rescued victims and burning two patrol vehicles belonging to the security outfit.

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